Certification

Why is certification important?

When purchasing a diamond whether via website or in a retail store, you are purchasing a look, a dream, a lifetime of enjoyment. What you see is not exactly what you will get. The average consumer does not have the ability to determine the exact color, clarity, cut grading, carat weight or whether the diamond has been treated or color enhanced.

This is where the Master IJO Jeweler and diamond Certificate play a major role in helping you determine the “unseen” conditions that impact the look, value and longevity of the diamond you buy.

Gemological Institute of America (GIA)

The most respected and recognized laboratory world-wide is the Gem Trade Laboratory of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). GIA, which is a non-profit, educational institution founded in the 1940s, developed the color and clarity grading systems which are used throughout the world today. GIA is recognized throughout the diamond industry for their unbiased integrity and their strict, comprehensive grading standards as seen in every grading report they produce.

American Gem Society (AGS)

Second to GIA would be a certificate obtained from the American Gem Society (AGS). AGS holds a similar recognition and respect throughout the world to that of GIA certificates. AGS certifications are most often used by diamond cutters who wish to confirm near ideal or ideal cut diamonds. The AGS grading laboratory director just happens to be the past founding director of GIA’s Gem Trade laboratory.

Other Certification Laboratories

Throughout the country and abroad you will find many other recognized laboratories including International Gemological Institute (IGI) and European Gemological Institute (EGL) which will provide certification for diamonds.

HRD

Hoge Raad voor Diamant (HRD) is the Diamond High Council of Belgium, a non-profit organization of the Belgian diamond industry founded in 1973. Located in Antwerp, the world diamond center, HRD is one of the world’s most reliable and respected institutions that certify diamonds. The HRD Diamond Certificate guarantees the authenticity of a diamond and rules out the possibility of it being an imitation or synthetic diamond. The certificate also contains a complete quality description of the diamond including shape, weight, clarity grade, fluorescence, color grade, measurements, proportions, and finish grade.